preparation and dedication

Olympic Gold Medalist and figure skating analyst Scott Hamilton knows a thing or two about preparation and dedication. He mastered the sport and its nuances to become the world’s best.

Scott has experienced the highs and lows of life—from a debilitating childhood disease, losing his beloved mother to cancer, to the glory of an Olympic gold medal, to the devastating diagnosis of testicular cancer and three brain tumors. There is no better representative of the notion of falling down and getting back up and inspiring others facing health crises than 1984 Olympic figure skating champion Scott Hamilton.

Surviving Illnesses

When a childhood illness stunted his growth, he discovered he was the perfect height for figure skating. When his mother died of breast cancer, he channeled his sorrow — and her aspirations — into Olympic gold and began raising funds for cancer research.

He was given up as an infant.

He stopped growing as a child.

He faced testicular cancer in 1997.

He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2004.

Then again in 2010;

And for a third time in 2016.

Each time the four-time world and U.S. champion got back up and came back stronger than before. Scott’s history of collecting life threatening illnesses, finally pushing him to launch his own national charity, Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation in October of 2014. It is no longer just about raising funds anymore, but about shining a light on new treatment options for cancer treatment, changing the cancer conversation and aligning people and organizations to raise the bar of cancer care and survivorship.

The Driving Force

The logo for Scott’s foundation is an upside down cancer ribbon because he was famous in his professional career doing his famous back-flip, but, beyond that, Scott wants his Foundation to “Turn Cancer Upside Down™.” Cancer knows no boundaries of age, gender or race. His driving force is creating opportunities to support treatment options that are less toxic, and patients who are better educated for their cancer journey.

Scott created the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation to link arms with the cancer community, ask questions, and work to improve cancer treatment, in hopes of improving outcomes and quality of life for the next person diagnosed with cancer and their family.

The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) dedicated to changing the future of cancer by funding advanced, innovative research that treats the cancer while sparing the patient. For information about the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation including finances please contact us. Your contribution is deductible to the extent permitted by federal law.